Clare Fitzpatrick enters her fourth season with the Holy Cross women’s basketball team as an assistant coach and the team’s recruiting coordinator in 2022-23.
2022-23, Fitzpatrick's fourth season, saw the Crusaders win the Patriot League Tournament championship beating Boston University on the road 66-61, the first conference title and NCAA Tournament berth since 2007. Junior Bronagh Power-Cassidy elevated her game leading the team in scoring capturing the Patriot League Tournament MVP while being named to the All-League second team. Janelle Allen also was honored by the conference earning All-League third team recognition averaging a career-high 10.4 points per game. Lindsay Berger saw her minutes increase from 6.8 a game to 24.7 earning starts in 27 contests and put up career numbers while freshman Kaitlyn Flanagan was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team
In her third season at Holy Cross, Fitzpatrick was instrumental in the team's Patriot League regular season title as well as the team recording the 22nd 20-win season in program history and setting the program conference win mark with 14. With Fitzpatrick's guidance, Janelle Allen saw her rebounds per game increase from 3.3 to 4.9 while Oluchi Ezemma set a new career-high in field goal percentage (52.1%).
During her second year on The Hill in 2020-21, Fitzpatrick helped guide the Crusaders to their first win over Boston University since the 2018-19 season and the No. 5 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Under Fitzpatrick’s tutelage, forward Oluchi Ezemma averaged career-highs in points per game (9.0), rebounds per game (7.7) and minutes per contest (23.7).
The incoming freshman class enjoyed great success during the 2020-21 season, headlined by Bronagh Power-Cassidy being named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and earning a spot on the Patriot League All-Rookie Team. Additionally, freshman Janelle Allen earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors on Feb. 23 and averaged 8.3 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per contest.
In her first season with the Crusaders in 2019-20, Fitzpatrick helped guide the Crusaders to a 19-11 record, the team's winningest season since 2013-14. Holy Cross also led the Patriot League in rebounds per game (40.0) and rebounding margin (+5.2). She helped coach All-Patriot League first team selection and eventual 2020 WNBA Draft selection Lauren Manis, who averaged 18.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game and ranked fourth in Division I with 20 double-doubles.
Fitzpatrick comes to Worcester after four seasons as an assistant coach for the Air Force women’s basketball team, where she worked primarily with the post players. Under Fitzpatrick’s guidance, forward Kassady Huffman recorded the second-most blocks in Air Force single-season program history (38) as a freshman in 2016-2017 and also set an Air Force Division I era record with six blocks in a single game.
While at Air Force, Fitzpatrick assisted heavily with the Falcons’ nation-wide recruiting efforts; she recruited players from 17 different states during her tenure. Her off-court responsibilities also included coordinating travel, marketing and social media.
Prior to her time in Colorado Springs, Fitzpatrick spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Yale, with the Bulldogs posting a 13-15 overall record and 7-7 mark in Ivy League play in her second season in 2014-15.
Fitzpatrick graduated from Cornell in 2013, starting a school-record 109 games during her career and finishing ranked seventh overall in points (1,201), sixth in rebounding (609), fourth in free throws made (328), and fifth in blocked shots (68); she is just the second player in Cornell history to reach 1,200 career points and 600 career rebounds. She was named team captain for the 2012-2013 season and earned Ivy League All-Rookie honors in 2010 and All-Ivy League honorable mention honors in 2011 and 2012.
Following her senior season, Fitzpatrick took part in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "So You Want To Be A Coach" program during the WBCA's national convention at the 2013 NCAA Women's Final Four in New Orleans.
A native of Southbury, Conn., Fitzpatrick was a four-time letterwinner at the Canterbury School, setting the school record for career points with 1,521. She reached the 1,000-point plateau as a junior in just her 55th game. Fitzpatrick was named team MVP in all four seasons and served as a captain three times, leading her team to the Class C New England Prep School Championship in 2009 and earning MVP honors for the championship game. She also earned NEPSAC All-Star team honors in her final three seasons. Fitzpatrick also lettered four times in field hockey and twice in softball. She was inducted into the Canterbury School Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2019.
